In our final match up of a previous article, '10 safe cars for Young and Learner drivers', we’ve got a 3 way battle royale between 3 very different cars. This time we have another Renault in the mix, the Renault Megane Expresson+ 1.2 litre. Also in this fight we have the Hyundai i10 SE 1.0 litre and the Smart ForFour Passion 1.0 litre.

Learner Insurance

The most learner friendly car would seem to be the Smart ForFour. For learner insurance it costs around £84 a month on average. The Hyundai i10 bumps things up slightly to £91 and the Megane tops the costs with an average of £102 per month. The price difference is probably due to the Renault Megane being much more sporty. Get your own learner insurance quote - Click here

Euro N-Cap Safety Comparison

Young Driver Suitability

Such as with our previous articles, prices are based on value estimations from Autotrader.co.uk. The age of the vehicle is based on the year of their Euro N-Cap test and each vehicle is said to have done 30,000 miles. The Renault Megane probably isn’t the first car you’d think of when you say 'Young and Learner driver cars'. The Megane is one of Renault’s more mid range vehicles and compared to the costs of the Renault Clio or Twingo it's a bit more expensive. On the other hand, this is a list of the 'safest' cars for Young and Learner drivers and with a 5* Euro N-Cap rating the Megane is arguably one of Renault's safest models. You’ll definitely have more space in the Megane comapred to the other two. In terms of size it is a giant compared to the Hyundai i10 and the Smart ForFour. In terms of insurance be warned, the cost of insurance for a learner driver on a Renault Megane may only be a £20 a month difference, when compared to the Hyundai i10, but an annual Young Driver's policy may have a significant price difference. Whereas the Hyundai i10 is an insurance group 2 the Renault Megane is an insurance group 14 – 17, depending on the exact model you get. The Smart ForFour probably offers the least driving excitement. It’s the smallest by quite a margin and quite under powered. On the other hand, power is not usually a quality you’d associate with the ideal young person car and being smaller does give it an edge for city driving. Let's not also forget it's superior MPG, so although you won’t be going anywhere fast you're more likely to get there cheaper!

What's On Offer?

Standard

• Technology – All 3 have central locking and electric mirrors as standard, but the Hyundai i10 is the only one to not have traction control or climate control as standard

• Safety – 5 airbags in the ForFour; 6 air bags in the i10 and 6 air bags in the Megane, as well as additional submarine airbags for the driver and passenger, providing better protection to them during a crash.

• Style – Even a mid-range Renault like the Megane only has cloth trim. Both the Megane and the Smart ForFour have alloy wheels; the Hyundai is the only one to have steel wheels. Quite a nice feature on the Megane, is that it has lumbar support.

Optional

• Technology – Sat Nav can be added to the Megane and the Smart ForFour. Parking sensors can be added to the Smart car and the Hyundai, but these are standard on the Megane.

• Safety – The Passion trim for the Smart ForFour doesn’t offer much more for safety. On the Hyundai you can add 3 x 3 point rear seat belts and a speed limiter, and with a 5* Euro N-Cap rating you can probably imagine the Megane already offers enough.

• Style – the Hyundai i10 can be equipped with a leather steering wheel as well as heated front seats. In the Smart ForFour’s Comfort package you can get a touch screen display and an electric sun roof. More than just the steering wheel, full leather interior and, audio upgrades that are available on the Megane.

Reviews

Smart ForFour Auto Express - Great for city driving, easy to park, low running costs WhatCar? - The Smart ForFour combines lots of space with smart looks AutoCar -   Smart’s most practical car to date is also its best to drive Hyundai i10 Auto Express - Handsome looks, excellent quality, big-car comfort and refinement WhatCar? - It's quiet, roomy, excellent value for money and has a long warranty AutoCar - It was zesty, pacey, plain but priced to impress

Renault Megane

Auto Express - Excellent quality, smooth ride, good-value price tag

WhatCar? - The Renault Megane is well equipped and has lots of safety kit

AutoCar - Absorbent at town speeds, nicely fluent on back roads and almost always quiet